Wallboard fastener



Aug. 10, 19 3- s H. TUMMlNS WALL BOARD FASTENER Filed May 9, 1940 2Sheets-Sheet l 1943- s. TUMMINS 2,326,506.

WALL BOARD FASTENER Filed May 9, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AMUL H. EMM/MsPatented Aug. 10, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a wall board fastener. The invention embodiescertain improvements over that type of fastener disclosed in UnitedStates Patent No. 2,174,145, issued to applicant herein on September 26,1939, as well as certain improvements over that type of wall boardfastener disclosed in the co-pending application filed in the UnitedStates Patent Oflice on June 16, 1939, by applicant under Serial No.279,381.

An object of the invention is to provide a fastener of the characterdescribed designed for securing wall boards, or panels, to a wallsupporting structure and shaped to fit into bevellap Joints ortongue-and-groove joint between adjacent boards or panels and which,when applied, will be invisible.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fastener of thecharacter described formed of thin, light, strong material which willreadily fit into and be concealed in the joint formed between adjacentwall boards, which may be cheaply and easily produced and readilyapplied and which is very efiicient in securing the wall boards inplace.

With the above and other objects in view the invention has particularrelation to certain novel features of construction and use, examples ofwhich are given in this specification and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a fragmentary, elevational view of one form of thefastener employed, in use.

Figure 2' shows an enlarged, fragmentary, horizontal, sectional viewtaken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the fastener.

Figure 4 shows an enlarged fragmentary, horizontal, sectional view takenon the line 2-2 of Figure l and illustrating other embodiment.

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the fastener shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 shows a fragmentary, elevational view showing a type offastener shaped to fit into a tongue-and-groove joint.

Figure 7 shows an enlarged, fragmentary, horizontal, sectional viewtaken on the line 1-1 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 shows a perspective view of the type of fastener illustrated inFigures 6 and 7.

Figure 9 shows an enlarged, fragmentary, horizontal, sectional viewtaken on th line ll of Figure 6 and illustrating another embodimentofthe invention, and

Figure 10 shows a perspective view of the type of fastener illustratedin Figure 9.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals ofreference designate the same parts in each of the figures, the numeral Idesignates the base portion of the fastener which is provided with anail hole 2 to receive the nail 3. The base is flat so as to fit firmlyagainst the furring strip 4 of the wall supporting structure.

The material of the fastener, at one margin of the base, is retractedforming a clamp 5 which is overturned at an acute angle thus extendingdiagonally with relation to the base portion. A tang 6, terminating in asharp point or apex, is thrown outwardly and rearwardly from thematerial of the fastener as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 4 and 5 embodies alsothe fiat base portion l having th nail hole 2 and provided with theretracted clamp 5a. In this embodiment the clamp has the tangs 6a and 6bthrown out from the material of the clamp rearwardly and forwardlyrespectively each terminating in a sharp point or apex.

In application the base I may be secured to the furring strip 4 by thenail 3 as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4 with the retracted clamp portion5, 5a fitting underneath, and closely against the adjacent beveledmargin of the wall board or panel 8 with the tang 6 or Go, as the casemay be, penetrating into the said adjacent margin. It may be here notedthat the tangs 6, Ba, 6b extend out approximately parallel with the baseportion l. The next panel or wall board as 9 may then be brought intoplace and, with the form or fastener shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 may bereadily adjusted until it is brought into exact alignment with the panel8, previously secured in place, and when in the proper alignment thipanel 9 may then be secured, at its outer free margin, to the furringstrips 4 by additional fasteners indicated by the numeral la inFigure 1. It is to be further noted if the type of fastener shown inFigure 5 is employed as each additional panel is brought into place itmust be exactly aligned with the last preceding panel of the tier and asit is forced to final home position the tang 6b will penetrate into itin the manner illustrated in Figure 4.

It is accordingly to be noted that the fastener shown in Figure 3 willhold one margin of the adjacent panel to the supportingframe work by thetang 6 and also will hold the adjacent margin of th adjoining panelclosely against the supporting frame work by the clamp 5. When the formshown in Figure 5 is used the adjacent margins of adjoining panels willbe firmly held against the supporting structure by the clamp 5a and thetangs 6a, 6b.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 6 to 10 inclusive, types offasteners are shown specially adapted for use with wall boards or panelshaving tongue-and-groove joints between adjacent boards. by the numerallb adapted to be secured to the wall supporting structure in the samemanner as shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive. The base lb has a retractedclamp portion 5b as more clearly illustrated in Figure 8 or 50 asclearly shown in Figure 10, the only difference being that the clamp 5bdiverges slightly from the base lb and the clamp portion 5c liesapproximately parallel with the base portion lb. This is alsoillustrated in Figures 7 and 9. The free marins of the clamp portions5b, 5c are overturned approximately at right angles to the base portionforming an abutting flange l0 which abuts the free end of the tongue 8bof the wall board or panel 8a. In both forms shown in Figures 8 and 10the clamp portion overlies and clamps the inner bead 9b of the wallboard or panel Go as clearly shown in Figures 7 and 9.

In use the base lb may be secured to the furring strip 4 with its clampportion embracing the bead 9b and with its flange l0 abutting the outerend of the tongue and with its tang 6c penetrating into the adjacentmargin of the board or panel 8a as illustrated in Figure 7. When theadjacent wall board 9a is brought into place it can be adjusted intoexact alignment with the adjoining wall board 8a and when moved intofinal home position the clamp 5b will securely clamp against and embeditself into th corresponding bead 9b of the board or panel 9a. Its freemargin may then be secured to the tuning strips by the fasteners lc.

In these forms the base is indicated When the former fastener shown inFigures 9 and 10 is employed the panel So should be exactly aligned withthe panel 8a and when brought into its final home position its tang Mwill penetrate into the material of the panel 9a and its clamp portion5c will fit over and clamp the bead 9b of said panel 9a.

In all of the forms the fasteners will securely hold adjacent margins ofadjoining wall boards or panels to the corresponding lurring strips andwill be completely concealed from view.

The drawings and description are illustrative merely while the broadprinciple of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A wall board fastener comprising a substantially flat base, a clampportion retracted from and formed integrally with the base and adaptedto clamp a portion of th adjacent margin of a wall board overlying thebase and tangs thrown out from the material of the retracted clampportion and projecting in opposite directions from the clamp portion andadapted to penetrate into adjacent margins of said overlying well boardand of another wall board.

2. A wall board fastener comprising a substantially fiat base, aretracted clamp portion extended from and formed integrally with thebase and terminating in an upturned end portion lying in a planeapproximately perpendicular to the plane of the base and tang thrown outfrom the material of said upturned portion and projecting in oppositedirections from the upturned end portion, each tang lying in a planeapproximately parallel with th plane of the base.

SAMUEL H. TUMMINS.

